


Good People

by Morgane (smilla840)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint and Natasha were SHIELD agents long before they were Avengers, M/M, Spoilers for episode 1, slightly cracky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 16:30:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilla840/pseuds/Morgane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ward didn’t know, okay? It’s not his fault he had bad intel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good People

**Author's Note:**

> Obligatory post- _Agents of SHIELD_ premiere fic. I fear many more will follow (I say fear because I really need to finish my Nick/Phil/Clint fic. It’s getting ridiculous). 
> 
> Slight spoilers for the first episode if you haven't seen it. Set a couple of months later.

Ward is getting off the plane, trying to ignore both Skye’s yammering about what she’s going to do on their downtime next to him and Fitz and Simmons arguing about something he doesn’t understand behind them. After years of working alone, being stuck with these people in an enclosed space for _days_ can be hell, and right now Ward just wants to go home and soak up all the silence he can get so he’ll be ready to face their next assignment. 

(Fine, maybe he’s being a little unkind. But the op was long and it sometimes feels like some of his teammates never shut up. Besides, while he may have grown to enjoy his new job, it would never do for the others to figure it out. He’s got a reputation to uphold.)

He’s trying to find an acceptable way to tell Skye how much he honestly doesn’t care and _please stop talking_ – one that won’t have Agent Coulson look all disappointed again – when a miracle occurs and she abruptly grows quiet. 

Ward almost doesn’t remember to stifle his relieved sigh.

Except he really should know by now that sudden silence from Skye is never a good thing. 

“Is that…” Skye says breathlessly before cutting herself off again, and that’s out of character enough that Ward looks over at her, frowning when he sees her smoothing down her hair and straightening her clothes. He notices there is still some of that weird green goo from the op on her sleeve, and is about to tell her she needs to change – it’s against protocol to take unknown substances off base – when May walks past them and raises a hand in greeting.

“Agent Barton,” she says, and Ward’s head whips back around to see who she’s addressing, ignoring Skye’s “Oh my God, it _is_!”

(He is tired, okay? Maybe his situational awareness could have been better on this one, but they’re on a SHIELD airbase and he’s allowed to let his guard down on their home turf. What he means is: please don’t tell Agent Coulson.)

“Agent May,” Barton greets back with a grin from where he’s leaning against a black SUV, arms crossed over his chest. And it _is_ Barton, Ward recognises him from his tactics classes – and, well, everywhere else. The man is kind of famous.

And Ward? Well, Ward panics. Because any second now Agent Coulson is going to come down the ramp after them and Barton is going to see him, and then he’ll know Agent Coulson is still alive and the _Avengers_ will know and– 

Actually Ward isn’t quite sure what’s supposed to happen next.

“Agent Barton! Hi! What are you doing here?” he says too loudly – shouts, really – and ignores the odd looks his team sends his way. Can’t they see he’s trying to avoid a disaster here?

“I had some time on my hands, figured I’d come and say hi,” Barton tells him easily, like he’s got no idea something terrible is about to happen – and of course he doesn’t, that’s the whole point! 

Ward rakes his brain for some small talk, anything that would get Barton out of there _right now_ , but when AD Hill said his social skills were shit she wasn’t entirely wrong – though he would like to say that they’ve improved greatly in the past couple of months out of sheer survival instinct. But not enough, clearly, because when he opens his mouth what comes out is:

“Would you like some coffee?”

Barton blinks at him, slightly taken aback, and Skye elbows him none too gently. “What are you _doing_?” she hisses, and while at any other time he would appreciate her attempt to save him from himself, he’s on a mission. So he elbows her back and whispers “Shut up!” while hoping Barton will take the bait.

He doesn’t. 

“Thanks, I’m good.”

“No, I think we should get coffee. Right now, in fact. Yes, let’s go now,” Ward rambles, intent on dragging Barton away if he has to – or try, at least.

“Agent Ward.” 

Ward freezes.

Too late.

He slowly turns around and meets Agent Coulson’s eyes. The man’s looking at him quizzically, his mouth quirked a little to one side. Ward swallows and is about to apologise – he tried, okay, but Barton just wouldn’t budge, the man is _good_ – when Coulson says:

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Hum…” Ward answers intelligently, and belatedly realises Barton isn’t freaking out about Coulson’s sudden return from the dead. He risks a glance in his direction, and nope, no freaking out happening.

“But I thought the Avengers didn’t know you were alive,” he says weakly, and Coulson’s smile widens for a fraction of a second.

“And as you’re well aware, Agent Barton is also a SHIELD agent. Level 7, of course.”

Oh.

Right.

That actually makes sense.

Meanwhile Barton’s pushed himself upright and is now walking towards them, and Ward takes an involuntary step back. But it turns out not to matter one way or another, because Barton’s only got eyes for Coulson.

“Hi,” he says, grin growing softer as he stops in front of the other man.

And Coulson?

Coulson leans forward and kisses him.

Ward stares.

_What?_

He would take comfort in the fact he isn’t the only one – he can tell Skye is as well, just as he’s peripherally aware that May is rolling her eyes and Fitz and Simmons are still arguing about whatever – but while that might help later, at the moment it simply doesn’t. Because he is still staring, and he really should stop, shouldn’t he?

Luckily for his mental wellbeing – _why is he still looking?_ – the kiss doesn’t last long, just a quick hello-how-are-you-glad-you’re-home, and Ward tries really hard to be looking at anything but Coulson and Barton when they break apart. He ends up watching Skye instead, who seems just as gobsmacked as he feels but doesn’t share his need to give them even a pretence of privacy.

“Agent Barton’s also my husband,” Coulson adds with a silly smile on his face, the kind ridiculously in-love people sometimes get. Barton looks both pleased and a little smug at the announcement, and Ward would very much like the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

“Are you ready?” Barton asks Coulson – _his husband_ – who nods, and the two of them walk towards Barton’s car, arms brushing together with each step they take. There is nothing overly intimate about it – not compared to that kiss – and yet the way they move together, effortless and comfortable, makes it truly impossible to mistake for anything else, especially when Coulson says something that makes Barton throw his head back and laugh. 

Ward’s never had that sort of ease with anyone, in fact he’s always thought it would be a liability in his line of work, but maybe he should rethink that. It sure looks good on them.

Unfortunately his musings are rudely interrupted by Skye as the pair drives off.

“Did you just ask _Hawkeye_ out on a date?” She sounds reluctantly impressed. “Man, that takes some serious balls.”

Ward would usually preen at that except:

“Wait, what?” he sputters. “No, I didn’t!”

“You totally did!” Her expression is gleeful, but then it sort of freezes and she grows thoughtful. Ward finds himself dreading what will come out of her mouth next – rightfully so. 

“Wait, you asked _Agent Coulson’s husband_ out?”

Oh, God.

“No no!” he says, slightly alarmed by the turn of the conversation.

“You kind of did,” Simmons pipes up, Fitz nodding along. 

Ward looks imploringly at May who just stares back impassively, not offering any support. He can tell she’s amused though. Damn it.

“That wasn’t what I was doing!” He tries to explain. “I was just trying to– I mean, how was I supposed to know that– They said he didn’t– It’s just that–”

His protests are ignored, and Ward is still tripping over his own tongue when his teammates start heading off.

“Guys, wait up!” he calls out plaintively, hurrying after them. “You don’t really think Agent Coulson thought I was asking his husband out, do you? Seriously? Guys? Anyone?”


End file.
